Catch You in the Drift
by love and petrichor
Summary: When Colonel Samantha Carter gets transferred to the Hong Kong Shatterdome, she doesn't expect to find herself butting heads with a certain General Jack O'Neill.


Colonel Samantha Carter weaves through crowds of people in the concrete corridor that connects the entrance of the airport to the interior of the Shatterdome. From every angle she could hear a chorus of shouts ranging from Mandarin and English to languages she can't even recognize.

She feels more out of place more than not despite the fact that she's worked in the Los Angeles Shatterdome for the past five years. There's a different atmosphere to Hong Kong than L.A, a shared anticipation and dread of the next oncoming attack from every person she passes by. It feels a bit overwhelming because even though there was a slimmer of that anticipation back in California, it wasn't to such a degree as Hong Kong.

Also, this is her first time visiting Asia. Not that it makes any difference at all.

She follows the mechanic—what's his name? Miles? Siler?—into the main deck of the Shatterdome. She's pretty sure that this guy is giving her a tour of her new home, which really isn't great because her mind is drifting and she's not listening at all and she knows she's bound to get lost within the vast rooms and interconnected hallways.

"Alright, Colonel," Siler continues, oblivious to Sam's absentminded demeanor. They head to the barracks, concrete and rusty and worn down just like all the other sections of the Shatterdome. Siler then leads her to a door on one end of the hallway. It's a simple door, with a room number and a peephole through the door and a mail slot. It's just the same in Hong Kong as it is in California. "This is where you'll be staying, and here's your key. Your stuff should be inside waiting to be unpacked."

"Thank you."

With a nod and a tired smile, she takes the cold metal in his hands. It's been a long day. She's just about ready to collapse onto her not-so-comfortable bed.

"Top of the morning, Siler!"

A booming voice echoes through the hallways. Sam's head turns and finds two men walking towards her and the mechanic.

"Good morning, General O'Neill," Siler replies. "Dr. Jackson."

Oh shit, a general, Sam thinks. She says nothing but she straightens up a little just in case. There's a nagging feeling from somewhere in the back of her head like she's seen him before sometime in her lifetime.

"How's it goin?"

The General's voice sounds way too cheery for the mornings. She wonders if he's just had his coffee.

"Oh, I'm just showing Colonel Carter to her quarters."

Once his eyes reach hers, she salutes him.

"Sir," she greets.

"At ease, Colonel." He regards her with a laidback nature unlike that of any other Air Force general she's ever met. "So, you're a newbie?"

Sam shrugs.

"Does working at the L.A. Shatterdome for ten years count as a newbie?"

Was that a bit too snarky for an insubordinate?

His eyes narrow, but she can see the hint of amusement. Score.

"Yeah, you gotta be careful," said the man next to General O'Neill. Probably Dr. Jackson. "She's smarter than you are."

General O'Neill regards him with a questioning look.

"And you know her?"

"No. But I've heard of her."

Sam thinks that this is normal everyday snarky banter between geek and flyboy. She glances at Siler and sees his stoic face. Yup, it's normal.

The man reaches his hand out towards Sam for a handshake.

"Daniel Jackson, by the way. I'm an archaeologist."

"He studies Kaiju for a living," General O'Neill quips.

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"No, I'm saying that like it's kinda weird."

"Anyways, Sam Carter is known for her groundbreaking work on the Jaegers. I mean, all the credit goes to Dr. Lars Gottlieb but you did your fair share."

Sam stares at Dr. Jackson, unsure of what to say. Nobody's really talked to her about her work on the Jaeger Program because she never really sought public attention, but she appreciates his acknowledgement.

"Um, thanks," she says. Before she could say anything, a Chinese scientist catches Daniel's attention.

"Daniel Jackson," the scientist says in Mandarin. "You're needed in one of the labs."

"Thanks, Dr. Guo." He then turns to O'Neill and Sam. "I'll see you guys later then?"

"Breakfast," General O'Neill replies. "Same time, same place."

"It's good to meet you, Dr. Carter," Dr. Jackson says.

"You too," Sam says.

Daniel then gets whisked away, leaving Sam and General O'Neill alone standing face to face. For a moment they stare at each other in an awkward silence.

"So," he says. "I should leave you to unpack your things."

"Yes, sir," she replies with a nod.

"All new crewmembers need to go through a physical with our CMO. Protocol and everything. Breakfast is in an hour, so you can go see her after you eat."

"Thank you, sir."

"Welcome to the Shatterdome."

Sam nods and General O'Neill go on his merry way. For a moment, she stands at her door, watching him leave before another stray thought comes to mind that makes her call out to the general.

"Wait!" Sam exclaimed. "You were one of the Jaeger pilots for Romeo Blue, right?"

General O'Neill freezes. He glances over his shoulder and stares at Sam with a look that could dissolve titanium. She somewhat backpedals at the deathly glare. Something tells her she crossed some sort of line.

"Yeah. Why?"

His voice is controlled and careful as if he's trying hard not to break.

"I worked on Romeo Blue for a few years," Sam says in a forced casualness in response to his glare. "Like the machinery and engines. I think I've seen you a few times. I dunno. It may just be me."

His gaze becomes darker and Sam's sure she's crossing over uncharted territory. Without a word, General O'Neill turns around and leaves, his stride more brisk and tense than when he came in earlier.

Sam sighs; she really does have a knack at making awkward situations worse. She takes the key in her hand to open the door into her quarters.

Her room is just the same as it was in California except that the walls are a bit rusty and the furniture is a bit worn down. There's the usual bunk bed, desk with a billboard where people usually pin up letters and photos, and closet for all her clothes.

All her things are gathered in the middle of the room. It's nothing much really, just a luggage full of clothes, a tote bag full of little miscellaneous items and a cardboard box filled with her family's collection of DVD movies. She's especially happy there's a hologram television across her bunk bed.

Sam yawns, only realizing how tired she is from the trip. She saunters across her room and collapses onto the springy mattress of the lower bed, taking the blankets with her. She has a long day and she needs all the sleep she can get.

Her head hits the pillow and soon, she's fast asleep.


End file.
